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WWE NXT will present the 2023 Fastlane in Bridgeport, CT this Saturday.  Here are our takes on what will happen.

NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov vs. Baron Corbin

Mike:  There is no sense, to me, in Corbin winning.   It should be a showcase for Dragonuv to show he's expertise before winning.

Rich:  In an ideal world, Ilja would be so pissed off at Baron that he does not treat this like a wrestling match but a chance for revenge on his comments about Ilja's family.  This should be just like Ilja's match against Nathan Frazer where Ilja beats the living hell out of Baron and then finishes him off with a series of H Bombs and maybe a Torpedo Moscow.  Instead we will probably get the Ilja Dragunov match from the end of his NXT UK run where he is worked over by his opponent and looks like he is going to pass out, but he finds the energy to fight back and retain.

Women's Iron Survivor Match (for Future Title Match):  Tiffany Stratton vs. Fallon Henley vs. Lash Legend vs. Kelani Jordan vs. Blair Davenport

Rich:  Will we see someone who starts off the match win because they have the full twenty-five minutes or will someone maximize the time they are in the match.  I think this is a match to showcase Kelani Jordan, but I don't see her winning this.  Lash Legend also falls into the 'not going to win' category but her in ring performances have improved recently and she is coming off that slam of Otis.  Fallon Henley is the wild card for me in this match and could be like Grayson Waller last year in the men's match, and she gets the surprise victory.  It should come down to Blair and Tiffany.  Does Tiffany need the win or is she just biding her time before a call up to the main roster?   I also don't think Tiffany needs to win her title back.  That leaves us with Blair, who I think could have a very good match with Lyra Valkyria.  I think one of the matches will be close with a last minute fall to secure the victory while the other will have a convincing victory.  I just don't know which one it will be.

Mike: Rich literally has the same scenario I was thinking.  It's likely Tiffany but to me, it should be Blair.

Men's Iron Survivor Match (for Future Title Match):  Trick Williams vs. Bron Breakker vs. Josh Briggs vs. Tyler Bate vs. Dijak

Mike: A lot of tremendous choices here but I feel this is Trick Williams' time.  Josh Briggs would be my secondary pick.

Rich:  There are a number of options in this match and any of these five men could be a good opponent for Ilja.  I think the longest odds are with Josh Briggs, but I think he is the one who needs to have the best performance and is in the same position that Zoey Stark was in during the Crown Jewel Five Way Women's Title Match.  I think he will continue his strong run and have a good performance, but I don't know if he will earn a pinfall in the match.  I think Tyler Bate and Dijak are the next longest odds because they haven't really been in the main event angles but have shown their worth to the brand.  I do think that in the same vein as Fallon Henley pulling off the 'do you believe in miracles' victory, Dijak is the male option.  I think it comes down to Trick and Bron.  With disqualifications an option, I wonder if we see "Trick's attacker" get involved.  I think Trick's momentum continues to a victory in this match.

NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio vs. Dragon Lee (with Rey Mysterio in Lee's corner)

Mike:  The old WWE rule used to be when there was a sub, the babyface wins to make the crowd happy.  I don't see any reason for them to take the belt off Dom, even with Rey in Lee's corner.   I expect he retains.

Rich:  Is this the night that Dominik Mysterio finally loses the title?  Probably not, but I don't think it will be THE Judgment Day that helps Dom secure the victory.  Dragon Lee has had some solid performances recently and it would be nice to see him win the title, but he is a fixture on the main roster (even though that hasn't stopped Dom from holding this title and Becky being the Women's Champ).  I think Lee will have the match won, but the man who thought he was the 'future of lucha libre' making his way to the ring to attack the man who gave that honor to Lee, as well as Lee.  Santos Escobar will attack Rey Mysterio (since he said Dom was right about how bad a person Rey is) and that will allow Dom to get the sneaky victory that has been typical of his title reign.

Roxanne Perez vs. Kiana James in a Steel Cage Match

Mike:  I think the world of Roxanne Perez but this should be a moment for James.

Rich:  Since they both went through the announce table to cost them their shot in the Iron Survivor Match, they had to fight in the back to get Ava to convince Shawn to book this match.  This 'should' be the end of the feud but you never know in 2023 professional wrestling.  In the last year, I think these two women have switched positions in the company.  While Kiana was staying on the same level trying to buy Chase U or woo Brooks Jensen, she has shown a lot of improvement as a wrestler and character.  Perez was one of the top women in the company and this 'kind of heelish' turn has made her into a less interesting character and someone I am not disappointed when she is not on TV.  Since Mike reported it, I can see this as the return of Cora Jade, but I don't know if she will come for revenge or this 'Thea Hail lite' character adjustment is something that Cora influenced and they reunite as a team.  I will say that we go with human logic instead of 'Pro Wrestling' logic and Cora helps Kiana win the match.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Lexis King

Mike: They are trying to establish King here and if he can hang with Hayes, it will be an important moment for him, no matter the finish.  My gut is King wins after we find out Cora Jade was responsible for him attacking Williams.

Rich:  In the battle of 'who attacked Trick Williams . . . or did they', this is the chance to see if Lexis King has potential or if he is just going to be like he was in MLW or AEW.  Is this a step down for Hayes or is this the chance to show Hayes how important he is to the company by getting a good match out of King?  I can see King getting the victory in this match, maybe by having King convince the guy pushing the music buttons to play Trick's music to distract Hayes and give King the cheap victory.

Kickoff Show Match:  Axiom vs. Nathan Frazer

Mike: They obviously see something in Axiom or they wouldn't have given him that recent Smackdown appearance.  I'll nod towards him.

Rich: We get a chance to see what these two can do when the women in the Iron Survivor Match interrupt something that had the potential to be very good.  Give me ten minutes   What does the future hold for each of these men?  A victory could elevate them to a future title match for the Heritage Cup or North American title.  I think Axiom gets the win.

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